ECTS credits ECTS credits: 9
ECTS Hours Rules/Memories Student's work ECTS: 148.5 Hours of tutorials: 4.5 Expository Class: 36 Interactive Classroom: 36 Total: 225
Use languages Spanish, Galician
Type: Ordinary Degree Subject RD 1393/2007 - 822/2021
Departments: Campus Lugo
Areas: Labour Relations School
Center Labour Relations School
Call: Annual
Teaching: With teaching
Enrolment: Enrollable
To acquire the managing, under a practical approach, of the different techniques that allow a correct and rigorous approach, collection, analysis and interpretation of information, in an investigation of the social reality and especially in a social research linked to labour relations and human resources.
The basic character of the subject makes its contents relevant to others subjects in the degree, especially for Human Resource Management, Design of Labor Processes and Labor Economics.
1. Introduction to the techniques of social research: elements and basic operations of a social research.
The scientific method and the social research. Types of social investigations. Examples of social researches. Basic elements and phases of a social research. Statistics and social Investigation
2. Techniques of data obtaining.
The observation. Questionnaires. The interview. The documentary sources.
3. Descriptive statistics.
Variable statistics. Qualitative and quantitative variables. Discrete and continuous variables. Frequency tables. Graphic representations. Central trend measurement. Form and dispersion measurement.
4. Social indicators and socio-labour statistics.
Simple indexes. Complex indexes. Deflation. Other social indicators.
5. Descriptive analysis of dependency.
Tables of contingency. Measures of association. Linear regression. Coefficient of determination.
6. Probability and maths models to the social investigation.
Outcomes of a random experiment and its probability. Variables associated to random experiments. Significant distributions.
7. Sampling as a technique of social investigation.
Different sampling methods. Sampling errors. Size of a sampling necessary to estimate an average or a proportion.
8. Tests of decision in the social investigation.
Point estimation for means and proportions. Obtaining intervals of confidence. Hypothesis tests. Level of significance.
Labs (mandatory):
Introduction to SPSS. Data analysis.
Regression and dependency of variables.
Intervals of confidence. Hypothesis tests.
The most suitable textbook for the course is:
• Fernández Sotelo, M. A.; Ginzo Villamayor, M.J.; Coladas Uría, L. (2024). Técnicas de Investigación Social. USC.
The following textbooks are recommended:
Basic bibliography:
• Abad Montes, F., Huete Morales, M. D. (2001). Estadística para las Ciencias Sociales y Laborales
• Alba Fernández, M. V., Muñoz Vázquez, A. (2000). Introducción a la Estadística Pública. Universidad de Jaén
• Alcalá, A. (1999). Estadística para Relaciones Laborales. Hespérides.
• Ginzo Villamayor, M.J.; Saavedra Nieves, A.; Saavedra Nieves, P. (2025 - por aparecer). A mostraxe como técnica de investigación social. Esenciais USC.
• Montero Lorenzo, J. M. (2000). Estadística para Relaciones Laborales. Editorial AC.
• Peña, D.; (2008). Fundamentos de Estadística. Alianza Editorial.
• Peña, D.; Romo, J. (1997). Introducción a la Estadística para las Ciencias Sociales. McGrawHill.
• Quesada Paloma, V.; Isidoro Martín, A.; López Martín, L. A. (2002) Curso y ejercicios de estadística: aplicación a las ciencias biológicas, médicas y sociales. Alhambra Universidad. Madrid: Alhambra
• Sierra Bravo, R. (1995). Técnicas de Investigación Social. Teoría y Ejercicios. Paraninfo.
• Visauta Vinacua, B. (1989). Técnicas de Investigación Social. P.P.U.
Complementary bibliography:
• Corbetta, P. (2007). Metodología y técnicas de investigación social. McGrawHill.
• Duverger, M. (1996). Métodos de las Ciencias Sociales. Ariel.
• García Ferrando, M.; Alvira, F.; Alonso, L.E.; Escobar M. (2015). El Análisis de la Realidad Social. Métodos y Técnicas de Investigación. Alianza. (4ª edición).
• García Ferrando, M.; Ibáñez, J.; Alvira, F. (2000). El Análisis de la Realidad Social. Métodos y Técnicas de Investigación. Alianza.
• Gerring, J. (2014). Metodología de las ciencias sociales. Alianza Editorial.
• Rangel Anchundia, L.K. (2021).Análisis de Datos Cuantitativos con SPSS. Independently published.
• Velarde Camaqui, D. (2022). Estadística aplicada en Ciencias Sociales con SPSS: Manual práctico (paso a paso) con apoyo visual para analizar tus datos estadísticos.
• Visauta Vinacua, B. (2007). Análisis Estadístico con SPSS 14: Estadística Básica. 3ª Edición. McGrawHill.
BASIC AND GENERAL
CG1 - Learn autonomously.
CG2 - Locate, analyze, synthesize and manage different sources and types of information.
CG6 - Work individually and in teams.
SPECIFIC
CE3 - Locate, interpret, synthesize and represent labour and socioeconomic data and indicators.
• The subject consists of nine annual credits, distributed in 45 hours of explanatory teaching and 27 hours of small groups, including the computer labs (mandatory).
• The classes will be developed in the assigned classroom using basically the blackboard and presentations. It will be promoted the participation of students at classes, especially the most practical aspects. In addition it will be discussed and solved some exercises announced in bulletins that will be delivered to the student to boost their personal work, using it to assess the better use of students too.
• Students will rely on the support of the virtual campus of the USC, through the page of the course, to have access to the programs, bibliography and different bulletins of exercises, as well as notes of some units and information about complementary voluntary activities and tools of communication.
• Attendance to the expository and interactive sessions is MANDATORY, except for justified reasons. Each absence to the expository sessions will be penalized with 0.1 points in the final grade of the expository part (max. 3 points) and the absence to each interactive session will imply a 0 point evaluation in the work or project of that interactive session.
• There will be a final theoretical-practical exam consisting of the interpretation of a series of questions or the development of theory questions and problem solving. In agreement with the students, a voluntary partial exam may be taken at the end of the first four-month period. Once the final exam has been passed, its grade or, in the case of passing the partial exam, the average of the two exams, will have a weight of 70% in the final mark for the subject.
• Continuous assessment will be carried out by means of written tests, work handed in, attendance, participation and use of classes, tutorials and practicals. This evaluation will account for 30% of the final mark. In case of non-attendance at the interactive sessions, the activity carried out will be assessed with 0 points.
• The final grade will be obtained from the weighted average of the expository part plus the interactive part, with a minimum of 5 points in each part.
• The successful completion of the computer exercises will be essential to pass the subject.
• Students with dispensation from class attendance.
• Individual study or in groups: 90 hours
• To solve practical cases or other works: 25 hours
• Recommended readings: 15 hours
• Preparation of oral presentations, debates and similar: 5 hours
The time of study necessary to pass the subject depends a lot on previous knowledge and on students’ skills. Normally, an hour of study and workload per day that complements the attendance to classes should be enough.
To pass successfully the subject it is necessary the attendance to theoretical and practical classes, and the accomplishment and review of the practical bulletins delivered at class or throughout the course.
Furthermore, in the programme there is a list of recommended tests for the subject so as to be possible to complement or extend any topic.
Javier Rivas Costa
Coordinador/a- Department
- Campus Lugo
- Area
- Labour Relations School
- javier.rivas [at] usc.es
- Category
- Not Applicable
| Wednesday | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 16:00-17:00 | Grupo /CLIS_01 | Spanish | Classroom 3 |
| Thursday | |||
| 16:00-17:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Spanish | Classroom 3 |
| 06.04.2026 16:30-18:30 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 2 |
| 06.25.2026 16:30-18:30 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 2 |